The Trouble With Technology
by Jinx Author
Summary: This is a cute story showing how technology can break enemy barriers between Nightcrawler and Toad...even if the enemies don't know it's each other right away. Complete story, Rated T for use of one swear word.


Disclaimer: I own nothing whatsoever. Even half of the writing isn't mine…

Author's Note: I put this up to prove to people I am in fact alive over here. I've been pretty busy lately, and found a new craze: the Round Robin Story (otherwise known as an RP or RPG). It's quite entertaining, and this is my favorite story I've written along with a very talented writer, who goes by Vanarath A Vrain. Vanarath wrote as Nightcrawler, and I wrote as Toad. I've broken up the writing with lines to show who's writing what part. And don't tell me it's not long enough- because it's 6 thousand some odd words. Have fun reading it!

* * *

"Oi, 'e's on again. Foinally..." Toad said, checking his laptop. There was the name, clear as day. A fellow he had been instant messaging for a little while now. If only he knew the man on the other side was blue, furry, and his enemy...

Then again, green and slimy isn't as attractive as blue and furry. It was hard though to lose to green and slimy...

cockneyngreen: Hey buddy! What's new? Toad sent and waited for a reply.

* * *

Kurt hung over the computer in his room, his tail wrapped around a bar above it as his legs dangled over it. Hearing the sound of an instant message, he looked down again as the computer finished booting up and the message was there for him. Smiling, showing his yellow, canine like teeth, Kurt then dangled down from his bar, reaching down and typing a reply back to 'cockneyngreen'.

thebluedude9 ((Silly emo kids taking all of the 'thebluedude' names)): Hey friend! There is not too much new. Sorry I haven't been on in a while...classes. So what is new with you?

Of course...this reply took a minute, since most keyboards were not designed for Kurt-sized fingers, so typing was occasionally a bit of a challenge. After he hit 'enter' to send the message, Kurt let himself drop into the chair at his desk, his tail going into the space between the back and the seat and just swishing a little.

Really, Kurt liked talking to 'cockneyngreen'. Though they didn't always agree on topics, it was always fun to get each other riled up over something and then be able to laugh it off with a common ground. Kurt, if he had known that the person on the other side was green and slimy, he really wouldn't have cared. Now...if he knew that Toad was a Brotherhood member...then he would have cared considerably more.

* * *

Toad sighed and drummed his fingers as his IMing friend wrote back. He always took a little longer than normal. Oh well, you can't help slow typists and slow connections. Toad just happened to be good at typing. Must have something to do with nimbleness.

The computer pinged and up came bluedude9's message. Toad began writing back, when his door swung open. A blur streaked through the room, and various items of Toad were rearranged. Before the blur could do much else, Toad used his tongue to slam the door on the blur's face.

"An' stay out Pietro!" Toad yelled, tossing Pietro out of the room and locking the door. Pietro was fun to be around, but right now he was talking with someone else.

Hitting enter, Toad sent back his message.  
cockneyngreen: Oi, that blows. Just another slow day here...wake up, work out, get turned down by Scarlett, pop in on you... the usual

Hopefully this wouldn't turn into another "Scarlett is not worth your time" conversation. Toad always hated those...probably because he always lost those arguements. But he still liked talking to bluedude9. It's amazing how chat rooms can introduce people...

((Scarlett is what Toad refers to Scarlet Witch when he is instant messaging))

* * *

Kurt was fast at typing...for his disadvantage. Ah well. He couldn't be good at everything, right? What fun would that be?

Reading over Toad's response, Kurt grinned a bit. Yes, he had often said the 'she's probably not worth your time' so he decided to take a different approach to his response this time. Of course, Kurt didn't know that Scarlett was The Scarlet Witch. Instead, he just thought it was a pet name for someone that Toad knew...probably, he guessed, the person wore scarlet a lot and got the name.

After a pause, he replied back:  
thebluedude9: You and I should meet up. I could teach you a few moves the ladies can't resist.

Of course, Kurt was a natural flirter. He was good at it too. Maybe it was the tail, though, he didn't know. He glanced over as his room mate, Vincent, came into the room.

"Hey, Kurt. Talking to someone?" he asked as he walked over, changing shirts to go outside and teach some of the younger kids how to play basketball well.

Nodding, Kurt said, "Yez, juzt a friend of mine I met zhrough a prank zite..." When his room mate gave him 'the look', Kurt just grinned and said, "Yez, I am comming up vizh more deviouz plotz and prankz to play on you, Vincent. Juzt you vait vhat I have learned..."

Rolling his eyes, his roommate left their room as Kurt turned back to the computer.

* * *

Toad stared at the message on the screen. The invitation was nice enough...but...Toad didn't have a chance with Scarlet Witch unless he grew a foot in height, got massive plastic surgery, **and** change his entire personality. And that wasn't happening.

cockneyngreen: Nah...now it's just a matter of bugging her...

And before Toad could type anything else, suddenly messages came appearing across the screen at the speed of light. And they were written with his name...

cockneyngreen: But I'd love to meet you anyway  
cockneyngreen: When can we meet up?  
cockneyngreen: I'm the ugly one who looks like I got covered in green slime

Toad spun around to see Pietro smirking and looking at the computer. Toad resisted all urges to attack him right there...and simply said:

"You do know I use my tongue to type on that keyboard, don't you?"

Pietro gagged a little and sped out of the room to take a shower. But before Toad could correct the mistake and tell bluedude what happened, the computer pinged. He had already written back.

"Oh no..." Toad said in horror.

* * *

Kurt had been surprised by the sudden speed at which the replies came back. Reading them, he raised a brow. Of course, his offer hadn't been serious, just as in a 'let me help you' sort of way, but ah well. What harm could it do?

thebluedude9: Um...Tomorrow at 5 sound okay to you? Where do you want to meet? Also, don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure you look great.

Kurt knew he could sneak out with no problem (other than the professor would probably catch him). As long as he brought his hat and trench coat, he could disguise himself to try to look 'normal'. Unlike a lot of other students, when Kurt snuck out, he had to be extremely careful about looking normal.

Watching the screen, Kurt already was planing how to get out. Just a quick teleport about a mile away and then he'd be good to go where ever they were meeting. Of course he knew it could be dangerous, but he was the amazing Nightcrawler, he could get out of anything.

"Well now wot the 'ell am Oi supposed to do?" Toad asked out loud to nobody in particular. This was a dilemma. Now the person actually **wanted** to meet him. And he had no choice but to accept.

Toad typed away at his response. Tomorrow was fine...kill Pietro today...meet bluedude tomorrow. Hopefully bluedude wasn't actually blue...there was only one blue person Toad knew that would ever act friendly. And he did not want to run into him.

Of course by fate (the authors) it was the person he didn't want to meet.

cockneyngreen: Tomorrow is fine. How about somplace...a little less crowded. Not that I'm trying to get "alone time" with you or abduct you...(I'm not that kind of maniac-just the fun kind)...but my appearance is...less than presentable. Is the erm...Junkyard in town okay?

At least Toad knew bluedude lived in the same town. They had determined that in their first meeting online.

* * *

Kurt had been surprised by the request to meet in the junkyard. It was a very unique place to meet, and the first clue that Toad may a mutant. After all, the conversation hinted to it. But Kurt wasn't one to judge mutants by their appearance. If he did, he'd be out of luck.

Still, Kurt thought about it, and shrugged to himself. He trusted himself to get out of any danger he could get into.

thebluedude9: The junkyard sounds okay. I look forward to finally meeting you. Maybe we should plan a few pranks to play on others once we meet up...

Kurt smiled at the thought of two prank-loving guys heading out and terrorizing the city. And two mutants would be even better. Of course...he meant harmlessly fun pranks, not dangerous ones. After all, why hurt innocents?

* * *

Toad smiled to himself. And then the smile faded. Hopefully this person wasn't a mutant hater. Or worse...what if this person was a government agent? Or someone else who would attempt to kill him.

Toad didn't want to think about it too much. His powers could keep him out of trouble. Hopefully...

cockneyngreen: Sounds fun. Can't wait to see you then! Must go for now... Toad wrote and then logged off. He had to go strangle Pietro over and over again for his antics.

* * *

Kurt had snuck out a bit before he and his friend were to meet. Grabbing his hat and coat, the blue mutant then teleported out of the school.

Three minutes before they were to meet found Kurt standing uncertainly in the junkyard, waiting for his friend. His hat was off and the collar of his coat was down to show who he really was. His tail was out and holding his hat, playing with it as he waited for Toad, though he didn't know that's who he was waiting for.

Though, he had considered who looked like they had just been slimmed that he knew, he brushed it off. After all, Toad didn't seem the type to be chatting to pranksters on-line. Then again, Kurt hadn't realized, neither did he.

* * *

"If this turns sour, Oi'm gonna kill Pietro again..." Toad muttered to himself, hopping down the alleyways, being careful to stay out of main streets. He was off to meet bluedude...which was all Pietro's fault...

Hopping the last fence over into the junkyard, he spied one of those X-men he had to fight countless times. Lovely...what the heck was he doing here?

Suddenly Toad realized who the blue mutant could be. Hopefully he wasn't...after all someone blue calling themself "bluedude9" would just be too obvious. Then again...his name was cockneyngreen. And he was both cockney...and green.

"'Ey! Wot are you doin' out 'ere?" Toad yelled to the mutant, not fearing an attack. After all, if the mutant attacked him...what would it be for? Standing in a junkyard? Being green?

* * *

Kurt turned to the sound of Toad's voice. Rolling his brilliant yellow eyes a bit at seeing the Brotherhood member, he replied, "I am vaiting vor zomevone. Iz zhat a crime?" Kurt was quiet ready to get out of there though if Toad attacked him. After all he'd expect no less from the mutant.

Kurt then considered that maybe this was the person he was suppose to meet. He was slimy looking. His appearance was one that wouldn't be good in public. All the signs pointed that this slimy mutant in front of him was the person he was meeting up with.

* * *

Toad smacked himself in the face. So the X-pansy **was** bluedude9. Great. Fantastic. Wonderful. Absolutely Great. And yet it wasn't in the least bit...those adjectives were sarcastic.

Pietro was going to die a slow and painful death when Toad got back.

"That's wot Oi was afraid of. Oi'm cockneyngreen..." Toad grumbled, "Should Oi leave now? Oi don't feel loike foighten you...or gettin' blue fur all over moi tongue." This was devastating for Toad. He was hopelessly depressed that his buddy was an X-man. He didn't even have the energy to fight...which for most is like not having the energy to eat.

After all, associating with the enemy was taboo in the Brotherhood. Unless you were trying to switch them to your site or beating the snot out of them. Poor little guy...what now?

* * *

Kurt seemed a little disappointed. This was cockneyngreen? Ah well, get what you can. At least the guy wasn't eating his head for just showing up.

Kurt felt a little awkward now. "Ah...I can leave. Zhiz izn't my zort of place anyvay." After a pause, he asked, "Do you ztill vant to chat over I.M.? Ve can juzt claim zeh ozher never zhoved up..." Kurt had considered him a good friend. They had shared a lot with each other.

...but apparently not nearly enough.

Kurt's tail swung a little as he looked at Toad. This was so weird. They'd had so much in common and now it seemed like they weren't even allowed to talk to each other. But, if they lied about meeting...maybe they wouldn't have to, they'd just have to hate each other when their two opposing groups met.

* * *

"Oi wish it were that easy. Oi'm going to have it knawing at the back of moi moind now every toime we talk..." Toad said sadly. If only Pietro had never grabbed the keyboard in the first place they wouldn't be in this mess.

_**"HEY LOOOSERS! YOU GUYS DYE YOUR SKINS OR SOMETHIN'?" **_toad heard in the background. And that was the straw that broke the camel's...er...toad's...back.

Toad spun around and leaped at the man in anger. With a feet first kick to the face, the man was down on the ground, Toad standing over him.

"Oi- if you ever...and Oi mean **ever**...say that about moi friend again...you are gonna have a **broken skull**..." Toad threatened. Of course...Toad didn't see the man with the pipe from behind coming...

* * *

Kurt had looked towards the source of the taunt. He was stunned by Toad's reaction of calling him a friend, and smiled a little. That was until he saw the other man with the pipe coming up behind Toad.

Teleporting, the man soon found himself facing a blue mutant. Grabbing the pipe with his tail, Kurt tossed the man against a pile of garbage, tossing the pipe aside. After all _he_ didn't need a pipe to beat up the person.

Moving, he then grabbed the man, tossing him again, moving quickly through teleportation. Looking over, he made sure that Toad was holding his own in his own battle.

* * *

_That was a weird choice of words...but what the 'ell...it works.._ Toad said, thinking about his last sentence. He'd worry about exactly what he said later.

Meanwhile though, he had to deal with an incredibly angry human. Of course...he had reason to be. Toad had just attempted to beat him up. Scratch that...Toad **was** beating him up.

A final thrust kick between the legs finished off the first attacker, who wincing in pain, fell onto the ground. He wouldn't be getting up for a while...

"Need a 'and blue? Oh...nevermoind...you got 'im..." Toad called out.

* * *

Kurt tossed the other one over to his partner with his feet, the man landing heavily on his partner. Hopping onto his feet, he said, "It'z fine..."

It was right then that a gun was fired. Kurt was close enough to Toad that he wrapped his arms around him quickly, teleporting them to the top of a garbage pile right as the bullet went where it would have hit them. Looking down to the group of four more people from the top, Kurt fround.

"Lookz like zhey are not done yet..." Kurt commented to Toad. With a grin, showing his yellow, pointed teeth, he said, "And zorry about zeh hug. It vaz zhat or letting you get zhot..." He looked down again to the group who was looking for them.

* * *

"It's all roight. Probably moi first hug ever...an' that's a neat trick," Toad said. He extended his tongue and grabbed the gun out of the gangster's hands, and then transferred it to his own.

"Hm...should Oi or shouldn't Oi?" Toad said, hand on the trigger. The group froze in horror...and with good reason. Toad wasn't exactly known for being merciful. But he had a feeling Nightcrawler (yes! Toad finally remembered the name!) wouldn't be happy if he just murdered them.

"Nah..." he said, putting the gun in his belt. He leapt up and knocked the first two together, Three Stooges style. That was entertaining in itself.

"An' 'oo said you don't learn from television...?" Toad asked to nobody in particular. He let Nightcrawler have his fun with the other two...

* * *

Kurt was a little surprised at the 'first hug ever' comment. Still, he said, "Zhankz," to the 'neat trick' comment. When Toad grabbed the gun, Kurt smiled, saying, "Nice trick."

Being very glad that Toad didn't kill the guys outright, Kurt smiled to him before taking his cue. Hopping easily down the pile, he was on top of the other two before they could even react. One he tossed against the wall with his hands while the other one was tossed with his tail. Moving, he grabbed them again, tossing them harshly to the ground.

Coming beside Toad, he said, "Zhank you for not juzt zhooting zhem. God vill judge zhem, but not zhiz day..." Ah, yes, Kurt. Spouting off his bible crud...

Um...I mean, biblical knowledge...

* * *

"Please reverend...spare me the lecture..." Toad said. Bible study never exactly interested him. Especially when he didn't have access to a bible.

"We make a pretty good team don't we? Oi've been thinking and...well...Magneto and Xavier aren't at each others throats **all** the time are they? Is there any reason we should be?" Toad said.

Man, if some other Brotherhood members were here Toad would be beaten up in three seconds flat for that comment.

* * *

Kurt just rolled his eyes, "Oh, everyone doez zhat..." Kurt complained. When Toad started talking, Kurt nodded a bit. He agreed completely.

"Yeah, ve make an avezome team. And, Xavier and Magneto are friendz, even if zhey don't alvayz agree vizh vhat zhould be done. Zhey act a lot like brozherz, actually. Anyvay...I don't zhink zhat zhere iz any reazon ve have to be fighting conztantly..." After a few seconds, Kurt asked, "Vant to go catch a movie?"

Okay, so Kurt wouldn't have gotten slack from some of the X-Men members, but ah well. He was a firm believer in that everyone deserved a chance. And, Toad had proven himself by sparing those people, so Kurt would give him a chance.

* * *

"Sure...you get us there...Oi'll pay. But only if we're seeing a comedy," Toad said. Well actually he didn't have any cash, but he had managed to pickpocket a guy during the fight. Hey...what Nightcrawler didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

Toad just really hoped nobody saw him with the X-man. That would be...interesting...to explain an enemy actually had a similar personality as him. But he'd worry about it when the time came.

For now...he'd just enjoy his friend's company.

* * *

Not knowing how Toad got the money, Kurt shrugged, replying, "Zhat zoundz like a good plan." The comment about a commedy made Kurt grin. "Iz zhere any ozher kind?" With that, he wrapped his arms around Toad, teleporting them both.

_BAMF!_

The two arrived at the end of a short line for the movies. It was still pretty early, not a normal time to be wanting to see a movie. Looking at the posters, he said, "Hov about 'Zeh Duplex'. It'z zuppoze to be pretty funny..." Though Kurt knew he should feel odd about hanging out with Toad, he surprisingly didn't. They didn't agree on everything, but they also had thrashed most of that out through on line conversations.

* * *

Toad braced himself for the usual motion sickness he felt when Scarlet Witch used her magic to teleport him. Suprisingly, he felt none whatsoever. Maybe she was doing it wrong or something...

"Oi'm never gonna get toired of you doing that..." Toad said, a big smile on his face. The sensation was pretty cool...especially after seeing the alternative...Scarlet Witch's magic. Shivers ran down Toad's spine just thinking of those experiences.

After hearing the proposed movie, Toad nodded his head. Reaching for the money...his hand felt the gun instead. Blushing that he had forgot to taken it out of his belt he tossed it in the garbage can, and fished out the money. It was unlike him...but it must have been Kurt's christian annoyances...erm...ethics...were rubbing off.

After buying the tickets, Toad headed inside the theater...to see someone he would rather not. Of course...only Toad recognized her, it was a disguise she used all too often: that of the deceased Senator Kelly.

"Nightcrawler...what do we do? Your mum is here..." Toad whispered into his ear, "Oi recognize the disguise..."

* * *

Kurt was glad when Toad tossed the gun away. It was a good first step for the Brotherhood member. He had laughed at Toad's love of his ability, saying, "Ah, zure you vill...give it time." As the two walked in, those who were in the building gave them odd looks.

Well, it wasn't exactly like they could hide that they were mutants.

Once they were inside and Toad commented about Mystique being there, Kurt glanced over to where Toad was looking. Of course, she would be in disguise, so he guessed that the senator was Mystique. Frowning just a bit, he tried to come up with what to do.

Kurt, for some not so terribly odd reason, could not manage to call Mystique 'mom'. Though the Christian was normally tolerating to all and easily forgot past wrongs, her abandonment of him to save herself he couldn't forgive.

"Great...Myztique..." he mumbled as he glanced around. There was no easy way to slip around her...well, no normal easy way. He was just about to teleport the two into the movie when Mystique spotted them.

Mystique looked over to the two, her gaze on Toad one that could kill, though Kurt didn't get a friendly gaze either. Still, she was with some other company at the moment.

Of course...at the moment didn't last long as the two people she was with excused themselves to go to the rest room. Given the opening, Mystique stepped over to them. Looking to Toad, she asked, "What are you doing?" quietly, of course, in the ex-senator's voice.

* * *

"Technically Oi could ask you the same thing...but...erm...could you excuse us a minute Nightcrawler..." Toad said quietly. He pulled off Mystique to the side.

It was time for Toad's quick lying...something he was frankly good at. "Look-don't blow moi cover...Oi figured it moight be good to have someone to infiltrate the X-men. So Oi'm **pretending** to befriend 'im..." Toad said. It was the first thing that came to mind and hopefully it would work. But Mystique was keen at seeing through lies...and hopefully he wouldn't get his butt kicked for this one.

Hoo boy, this would be fun explaining to Nightcrawler that he lied about being a spy and wan't **actually** a spy.

* * *

Mystique glared at him for a long, long while, long enough to indicate she thought he was lieing. Finally, she said, "If I do not have a report about what they are planning by the time you get to base, it will be your head. I will be watching." Then, turning smoothly, she walked over where she had been right as the people left just as they were returning. Smiling pleasantly to them, she continued like she was enjoying her time with them, working on her own plot.

Well...Toad was out of it for the moment. Kurt looked to him questioningly as Mystique walked back over to her group. Going over to Toad, he asked, "Vhat did you zay?" It was strange that Mystique let him off that easily. Then again, maybe she didn't mind them being friends. No...that was unlikely.

* * *

"I'll tell you later...Oi'm bein' watched..." Toad said through clenched teeth. Looking behind him, he realized that Mystique was constantly looking over her shoulder. He resisted all urges to call her boss lady really loudly and blow her cover...because that just might be the last thing he ever did.

The movie credits had finally finished rolling, and Toad and Nightcrawler were the last in the theater, except of course for a few select custodians. Of course, Toad guessed one of these was his domineering watcher...after all, she could shapeshift.

"That was a pretty good movie. Say...can you get us outta here...Oi think one of these is you-know-who..." Toad said, implying his suspicions.

* * *

Kurt had been mildly on-edge throughout the movie. Even though it was a good movie, and he trusted Toad, he didn't trust Mystique at all. Kurt still wasn't completely sure whether Mystique would even kill him or not when and if they did fight, which was not something most people had to worry about with their mother.

Still, he didn't appear to be ill-at ease at all. When the movie ended, he nodded, "Yez, zhat vaz good. Letz get zomezhing to eat," he said, implying that he could take them out. He didn't want to give any indication that they thought Mystique was in there.

Standing up, he pulled Toad to his feet. Within a second, he had his arms around Toad before...

_BAMF!_

The two were standing in a night-club setting. Letting go of Toad, Kurt grinned, "Zhiz iz a great place for zome zpecalty zandvitchez, and it'z pretty far from Myztique." Motioning to the bar, he smiled to Toad as he said, "My treat." They needed a chance to talk without Mystique listening.

Back in the theater, one of the custodians looked up from his work, mumbling, "Dn..." With that, he headed out, leaving the others to clean as Mystique tried to figure out where Kurt could have taken them. Well, anywhere, really. The only good thing was that Toad couldn't withstand teleportation like Kurt could, so he had to still be in the city.

* * *

_BAMF!_

"'Ave Oi ever told you how well you do that? I normally get really sick while teleporting with Wanda..." Toad commented. Again, he'd rather not relive those instances.

He looked around his scenery, completely unsure of where he was. Nightcrawler then explained to him it was a sandwich shop. He followed Kurt over to the bar.

"All roight...but next date **Oi'm** payin'" Toad joked, sitting down and looking at the menu. "Anyway...told 'er that Oi was spoiyin' on you...it was the only thing Oi could think of..." he said.

* * *

Kurt smiled as he said, "I've heard zhat zeh Zcarlet Vitch haz a habbit of getting zhingz vrong. No offenze to her, of courze, but zeh vord out iz zhat zhe can do zo much zhat it'z hard for her to get one zhing dovn great."

As they sat down and started looking the menu over, Kurt busted up at the 'next date' comment. Looking over, he sighed as he jokingly replied, "Oh, all right, honey, if you are going to be zhat vay about it..."

Then came the confession of what Toad had told Mystique. Kurt had accepted the possibility that they could be spying on each other. Of course, he wasn't but Toad couldn't really trust him with that, could he?

He said, "Vell...I knov zhat ve zhouldn't be able to truzt each ozher about zuch zhingz. Zo...hov about ve juzt avoid talking about our groupz vhile hanging out? Zhat vay, even if your guyz or my guyz vant uz to zpy, zhere'z really nozhing to report." It seemed like the fairest way to do it. They could talk about the people, or even events that happened, they just wouldn't talk about anything big coming up...well, maybe tests and stuff.

* * *

"Sounds fair ta me. 'Course, I was gonna tell 'er that you wouldn't tell me anythin' 'cause she blew moi cover...but that works too. 'Specially if they try to get someone to try to read moi moind about it..." Toad said, looking over the menu again. He skimmed the list of sandwiches.

After their order was taken, Toad spied someone else that he'd rather not see. "What is this Nightcrawler...your bloody family reunion?!" he said, pulling Kurt down to eye level with the bar table.

Over in another corner of the room was a brunette with white streaks in her hair. It was none other than Rogue...who of course had already spied Kurt.

She walked over to them, and in her sweet southern drawl said, "Howdy sugah...who's your...Kurt...who **is** your friend?" she said, her voice changing as she recognized the green mutant.

* * *

Kurt glanced over, groaning inwardly as he saw Rogue. "And I wazn't even azked to bring zeh macaroni zalad..." he mumbled. Wow...what were the chances? Kurt then realized they were pretty good. After all, Rogue had showed him this mutant-friendly sandwich shop.

Smiling to Rogue as she came over, Kurt could tell as soon as her 'cute little southern belle' voice switched to her normal southern bell voice that she recognized Toad. His yellow eyes moved to hers as he said, "Rogue, zhiz iz Toad, az I'm zure you could guezz. Toad, zhiz iz Rogue." He tried to be polite about everything.

Motioning to a chair beside them, he asked, "Care to join uz, Rogue? Or are you charming zomevone elze vizh zhat zveet voice of yourz?"

* * *

"How do ya do?" Toad asked as cheerfully as he could. Rogue's facial expression didn't change. "Fine..." Rogue said, sitting down quietly. Toad could tell that she needed to talk to Kurt, so he decided it would be a good idea to leave temporarily.

"Oi think this is the part where Oi excuse moiself..." Toad said, getting up to go to the restroom. Of course he didn't actually have to go but, this was an awkward situation.

As soon as he had left Rogue let her true feelings out. "Ya gone off the deep end Kurt?" Rogue asked,"Ah'm not one to criticize your friends but...yer judgement seems off. How do we know he ain't spying on us?"

* * *

"Zhankz," Kurt told Toad as he headed off. Really, the blue dude wished he could leave as well.

"Deine Feinde wie Freunde kennen((Know your enemies like friends.))," Kurt replied once Toad was gone to Rogue. "I'm not inzane. Toad iz really nice, and ve have a lot in common. You knov zhat I don't judge people juzt becauze I have a different oppinion on zomezhing zhen zhem. And ve promized not to talk about our groupz in general, zo no vorriez."

Rogue did have to admit that Kurt was a generally forgiving person until someone really hurt him or his friends beyond a certain point. Smiling to Rogue, he said, "Come on, did I ever lead you vrong vizh my oppinion on people before? Truzt me. Come on, have lunch vizh uz and you'll zee he'z not zo bad..." He was really trying to win her over that Toad would be a good friend.

* * *

"All right, Ah'm trustin' ya on this...but don't come cryin' ta me if ya get burned..." Rogue said, taking another sip of her soda.

Toad came back from his "trip to the washroom", and saw that Rogue actually looked pretty content. _Looks loike Kurt wasn't kiddin' when 'e said 'e had a way with women_ Toad thought to himself. Then again, Rogue's temper came nowhere near Mystique's.

"Oi...so we all okay now?" Toad said, sitting back down.

"Uh huh...Kurt and Ah were just talkin' bout the happenin's at the mansion. You know nothin' about that, don't ya?" Rogue said, giving Toad a knowing wink.

"Oh crud...you're not..." Toad started. It all connected...somehow Mystique had found them and was disguised as Rogue.

"That's right you little insect. I'm going to crush you for your betrayl," Mystique (who was still in Rogue's form) spat, lunging at him.

* * *

Kurt had seemed sort of happy that he had talked Rogue down a bit. He watched as Toad sat down beside them again, glad that they could just have lunch and relax.

That was until Rogue commented about speaking of the things happening at the mansion. Kurt felt his stomach drop out as he moved quickly. Just as Mystique lunged at Toad, Kurt grabbed her throat with his tail, moving it and her quickly, tossing her away from Toad.

"Back off," Kurt told Mystique as he stood up, watching her. Glancing to Toad for only a moment, he said quietly, "Zorry..."

It was right about then that a guy behind the counter said, "If you guys are going to fight, take it outside..."

* * *

"You little bastard..." Mystique swore at Kurt, standing up in her original form. Dusting herself off, she completely disregarded Kurt's back off comment.

She turned to the guy behind the counter. "I don't think you should be ordering me around..." she said, hatred flaring in her voice. The counter clerk ducked down and dialed the number for the police. Mystique ignored him.

"Now...where were we..." Mystique asked, approaching Kurt with an evil glare. However...

"Surproise!" Toad yelled, jumping up from behind and perching himself on her shoulders. He covered her eyes as she struggeld to pry him off.

"Big mistake you little traitor!" Mystique said, ramming him against a wall multiple times...

* * *

Kurt was quite ready to take on Mystique, even angry, when Toad surprised them both by jumping onto her shoulders. Moving over to where Mystique was trying to beat off Toad. He swept his leg under hers, hitting at the knee, sending Mystique to the ground.

Kurt moved to his feet quickly as he stepped back from Mystique, unsure how she'd respond to them teaming up against her. Toad was in for it when he got back to the Brotherhood base. Then again, maybe it was more accepted there than it was in the X-Men.

Outside, the sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance and moving closer. The police barracks was not terribly far away, so they would be there in no time.

* * *

"Ow...ow...ow...ow...OW!" Toad cried as he was smashed, and then went down to the ground when Mystique fell. That was definitely going to hurt later. More so than it hurt now.

Leaping off her, he stood beside Kurt. "Oi am so dead if Oi try to show moi face in the Brotherhood again..." he said to his friend, who was currently the only one he could think of that wouldn't try to kill him. Of course, that should have been the least of his worries right now. Considering it was pretty clear the police were coming by the sounds of the sirens.

"Unless of course Mystique gets caught..." Toad said with a smile. "Think you can bail us outta here? Now?" he said, turning to his friend.

Kurt smirked as he said, "I zhink I can do vone better..." Going over to Mystique as she was starting to get up, holding her head, Kurt picked her up, before she could kill him, wrapping his arms around her when...

_BAMF!_

...they were gone. Kurt dropped Mystique off in the back of a police cruiser that had just pulled up. Within a second, he deposited his mother there before arriving back to Toad.

"I zhink you'll be fine. Come on..." Wrapping his arms around his new friend...

_BAMF!_

...they were back at the junk yard at the top of a heap. "I hope zhat didn't vear you out too much...it vaz a bit of a far jump," Kurt said, hoping he didn't hurt his new friend. After multiple jumps in a day, it was likely that Toad would be wearing out soon. Then again, Kurt didn't know how much stamina the man normally had.

* * *

_BAMF!_

"Oh man...Oi think it was the fact Oi've been bashed into a wall by a psychopath multiple toimes that Oi'm out of it...Normally Oi'm just sick after teleporting, not dazed..." Toad said, rubbing his sore back. Seriously, Mystique had really packed a wallop.

"Don't know wot Oi'm gonna do now though... Mystique's bound to get out of custody in...10 minutes..." Toad said, sighing deeply. If there was one thing she was good at, it was hand to hand combat. "20 maybe if she's dazed from the teleportation. After that, Oi'm toast..."

* * *

Kurt sighed as he said, "Zhat could do it too..." Thinking a bit, he said, "I've got it! You need to head back nov, zhough. Go and tell Magneto zhat Myztique mezzed up your operation and zhen you attacked her for it."

Smiling to Toad, he shrugged, "You never knov, it may juzt be crazy enough to vork vell. You have to leave vell before Myztique returnz to your baze, zhough..." Kurt really wasn't trying to push Toad away, but it sounded like a plan that might work. Then again, Mystique was known for good judgement.

It would be a gamble, but one that Toad may want to consider if he ever wanted to see the inside of the Brotherhood base again.

* * *

"That just moight be nutty enough to work. 'Course...don't know wot Oi'll do when Mystique tells 'im a different story. Oi just 'ope he doesn't get someone to mess with moi moind..." Toad said, "If Oi show up at the doors to the mansion in the next two hours, it means it didn't work..."

After all, where else could a rejected mutant go? Besides down in the sewers with the Morlocks. Even though Toad would fit in nicely there, he didn't like the prospect of being an outcast...again...

"Talk to you on IM!" Toad said with a mock salute, hopping over the fence of the junkyard. This just might be the start of a fun friendship...

* * *

Kurt nodded as he said, "Good luck, Toad. And, if you zhov up at zeh doorz, I'll kick my room mate out and let you be my new one." With a smile and a wave, Kurt said, "You'll have to tell me about vhat happenz over IM."

Kurt gave one last wave to Toad before teleporting away, going back to the institute. Well, hopefully Toad would still be able to talk to him. They were great together as a team. Kurt was actually now looking forward to when next the X-Men and Brotherhood would team up against someone.


End file.
